As the saying denotes, the early bird catches the worm, there is no shortcut for your journey to reach the pinnacle; you must take the staircase. Your dream won't manifest by miracles; it will require effort, persistence, and hard work. Success comes with a price, and that would be with a consistent hardwork.

With that being said, meet the young lad named Shashivarmaan Thevaraj who has emerged as the first alumnus from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) to receive the prestigious Tunku Gold Medal Award, which comes with an RM10,000 cash reward and an RM10,000 grant for a community program.

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Hailing from Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, the Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation scholar took this opportunity by thanking his loved ones including family, peers, lecturers, and also those souls who have stood along in his journey of excelling in his education and co-curricular activities.

"Throughout my time at university, I invested a great deal of effort into obtaining outstanding exam scores, and it paid off since I received the Dean's Award for each semester. I was actively involved in co-curricular activities such as the Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation leadership programme.”

Although juggling two fields is undoubtedly challenging, the 24-year-old lad has proven that nothing counts more than doing what you love.

"I even had the chance to execute research on statelessness issues in Malaysia with a researcher for the Malaysian Human Rights Commission."

Shashivarmaan also known as the editor-in-chief for a book bearing the title, What Students Want, which was curated and edited by students, compiles the selected writings of students from around Malaysia who were allowed to share their aspirations and their thoughts on what makes a good education.
Furthermore, he was selected as one of the seven student leaders from around the world to share about student leadership, presenting the ‘What Students Want’ book project.

Due to his persistence and optimistic approach, Shashivarmaan has been chosen to represent Malaysia at the esteemed Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) in the United States.

"Hailing from a low-income household, my mother worked in a factory, and my father was a security guard. I must not forget the sacrifices of my parents, as well as my grandmother and aunt who raised me from the time I was young," he said.

You’re just making waves around the world with your knowledge and hard work. Thank you for being an inspiration for the upcoming Gen Z and millennials.

Image Credit / Source: The Star , Journal Epic